


Sorry I'm late

by Writing_in_SIN



Series: 100 Ways to Say 'I Love You' [13]
Category: Kamen Rider - All Media Types, Kamen Rider Ex-Aid
Genre: Arcades, Dorks in Love, Fluff, Idiots in Love, M/M, Mutual Pining, Post-Canon, Pre-Relationship, Soul Bond
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-19
Updated: 2020-01-19
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:33:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22318669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writing_in_SIN/pseuds/Writing_in_SIN
Summary: Emu rolls his neck and cracks his knuckles as excitement takes over. Turning to Parad, he sees his best friend doing the exact same thing with a wicked smirk on his face."So what do you say?" Emu asks, hand on his hip with a brow rising in challenge. "Are we gonna beat every single game here or aren't we?"Parad cackles, sharp canines glinting in the flashing lights. "Ya need to ask?"
Relationships: Houjou Emu & Parad (Kamen Rider Ex-Aid), Houjou Emu/Parad
Series: 100 Ways to Say 'I Love You' [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1538683
Comments: 4
Kudos: 48





	Sorry I'm late

**Author's Note:**

> If you like, come scream at me on [Tumblr](https://writing-in-sin.tumblr.com) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Writing_in_SIN)

* * *

**"Sorry I'm late."**

* * *

"Of all the days to be late," Emu mutters under his breath as he races down the halls of the hospital, tugging on his jacket. "Why did it have to be today!?"

A passing doctor calls out behind him. "Houjou-sensei! The files—"

Emu smacks his palms together in apology, jogging in place. "Sorry! Whatever it is, please leave it on my desk!"

"In a rush?" his colleague asks, visibly amused so Emu at least knows it's not an emergency.

He gives a frantic nod. "Very."

Before the other doctor can say anymore, Emu sprints away.

Despite how fast he's going, Emu surprisingly hasn't tripped or run into anything which he's grateful for because he doesn't want to be more late than he already is. Skidding to the entrance, he spots the familiar head of curls by one of the benches and he sighs in relief.

"Parad!" Emu calls out before he stumbles forward when his clumsiness finally kicks in at the last second. "Ack!"

A flash of pixels envelop him before he's caught by a pair of arms and he looks up to find Parad in his civvies smiling down at him, exasperated fondness in his eyes.

"Hey there, Emu."

"Hey," he greets back, righting himself and gives his friend an apologetic smile. "Sorry I'm late."

"It's fine," Parad reassures with a chuckle as he lets Emu go. "You didn't have to run, y'know. I wouldn't have mind waiting."

Emu shakes his head. "I've never really liked to make people wait. Besides, it's my first day off in weeks and we finally get to hang out! I don't want to waste any second of it."

"In that case," Parad murmurs, extending a fist to him with a delighted grin. "We better make every second count then."

Knocking their fists together, Emu mirrors his bugster's grin. "Let's."

Warmth settles in his bones as he and Parad merge together.

Red flashes across their vision before they smirk and vanish in an array of pixels; teleporting to a secluded alley nearby the city's arcade.

Once they've separated, they make their way inside and take in the flashing lights and colourful hulking machines that line the walls. It's not too crowded since school hasn't let out yet, which is perfect. Emu would like to play without anyone else interfering with all the fun he and Parad are going to have after all.

Emu rolls his neck and cracks his knuckles as excitement takes over. Turning to Parad, he sees his best friend doing the exact same thing with a wicked smirk on his face.

"So what do you say?" Emu asks, hand on his hip with a brow rising in challenge. "Are we gonna beat every single game here or aren't we?"

Parad cackles, sharp canines glinting in the flashing lights. "Ya need to ask?"

"Well then." Emu offers a palm with a grin. "Let's clear this—"

"—with no continues," Parad finishes, smacking Emu's palm with his own, smirking impishly.

True to their shared reputation, neither he nor Parad leaves a game unfinished. Or better yet, neither of them leaves a game without _winning_ them. They spend hours in the arcade; pushing tokens into slots, skipping the tutorial and normal modes, and go directly up to expert while wreaking absolute havoc.

It's the most fun he's had in _years_.

Don't get him wrong; Emu enjoys being a doctor— thrives in it even, despite the hardships that come along with it. However, as much as he enjoys it, there'd been this loneliness he couldn't shake no matter how hard he tried. On his day offs, he'd play games by himself as he always had; winning and losing on his own. It was fun, but it was never satisfying. At times, he played against online opponents and while he liked the challenge they posed, they were never really people he knows or can share the joy of playing together.

Poppy and Nico came the closest— playing games together with them is a lot different because they're his friends and he enjoys every moment he gets to spend time with them without worrying about some life threatening situation.

Despite that, Emu only realised what he's been missing in his life when he and Parad went up against Cronus for the first time together. From then on, it made him realise that even after all these years, Emu still found himself waiting for his Player 2— the one person who can play with _and_ against him; matching him move to move without holding back.

**GAME CLEAR!**

Emu throws a fist in the air while Parad lets out a loud whoop beside him before they share a high five, celebrating their 49th consecutive win.

While he's not sure, Emu thinks that he and Parad are scaring the attendants with their winning streak and how that in some games, they play it twice— in versus and co-op modes. The intensity of their winning streak attracts a large crowd as more people start trickling into the arcade, most of them high schoolers. They keep score of course, and it comes out even which is no surprise.

Light and euphoric, Emu leans against Parad as they sit on one of the arcade benches; catching a short break before they go in for the finale.

In the loud cacophony of the arcade with its flashing lights, he turns to rest his chin on Parad's shoulder and admires the bugster's profile. Sensing his gaze, Parad turns his face to him with lips quirking up into a lazy grin as one of his canines peeks out.

"Thank you, Parad," Emu murmurs in the space between them, hand catching one of Parad's own.

Emu doesn't clarify what exactly he's thanking Parad for and, to be honest, he's not sure of it himself either. All he knows is that he's grateful that Parad is with him and hopes his friend knows that.

The grin on Parad's lips softens into a smile before he leans down to press their foreheads together.

"No, Emu." They're close enough that they're breathing each other's air, to a point where Emu can almost feel Parad's words as if they're being said against his lips. "Thank _you_."

Eyes fluttering closed with a smile, Emu pulls back enough until he can rest his head on Parad's shoulder and feels Parad resting his own head against Emu's with a content sigh.

"That's gotta be our finale, right?" Parad asks after a lull, pointing to the DDR machine with his free hand.

Emu nods slightly. "Yeah, but let's wait for a little while. I'm comfy."

"Well, ain't that lucky," Parad whispers as he intertwines their fingers together. "So am I."

With their hands clasped between them, surrounded by sights and sounds Emu hasn't been able to enjoy with anyone else in a long time, Emu thinks that there really is no place he'd rather be.


End file.
